A relationship that is deep and meaningful, will have good and open communication. In the world today though, it can be hard to find time to talk, let alone have deep conversations. But you will find that no matter what relationship you have, you will have a closer connection to someone that you communicate with often. All the more if you have a household with children. Teaching your children from a young age to talk about their feelings can help tremendously in their development and in becoming well-rounded people. But how do you go about it?

Start At the Roots

The key to laying the foundation of a healthy family starts with you and your partner. If you both make a habit of being sure to make time to share and listen to one another’s feelings and troubles, it can lead to a more stable and trusting relationship. Getting to know your partner and listening to them, is one of the keys to being ready to take on the needs of a child, making sure they have the security they need and the confidence to talk to you when they need to. Talking to your partner will make it easier when the time comes, to make decisions together and to be on the same page in regards to children, finances, and other large life decisions that lay ahead.

Between work, school, and other things that can come up, it can be difficult to make time for much else. But when a child grows, so does their need to be able to approach you. When they are young, it may be small things, such as answering questions or reading a bedtime story. But, as the child gets older, the depth of their understanding grows as do the questions that weigh on their minds. It is easy for children to shy away, especially in their teenage years. So from the time they are young, be sure to reassure them that you are there for them. Children can become susceptible to feeling that they are in the way, or that maybe their problems are too small to warrant your care or attention. When you offer yourself and your time to them, though they may reject it at first, in time they will come to you and realize you are a source of comfort and a safe place to talk about a problem large or small they are having.

Home = Safe Space

Home is where we go to let our hair down. A place to be ourselves without fear of judgment, or ridicule from others. A home is a safe place. Your family should feel that way in your home. Whether you have children or it is just you and your partner, making your home a place to freely speak and be yourself should be your goal. When you, your partner, or your child feel free to speak and know that their words are kept safe in the family home, it can alleviate stress and bring you to a better understanding of the members of your family. It will also cause your children to know that your home is a place where they can openly express themselves. It can also cause issues that might be troubling someone to come up quicker, thus being handled and resolved faster. A home is a place that can change the dynamics making life easier or harder for everyone.

Communication plays so many key roles in a family. It can change the dynamic for everyone involved and make life easier or harder! As a couple, you strive to make things better. That is why it is so important to make sure communication is prevalent in your lives. If/when you have children, they will learn from you and become more well-rounded individuals, to face the world with confidence and stability.